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Feb, 25, m6. J. Kuss 2,032,288

RECLINING CHAIR Filed OC'. 13, 1934 Patented Feb. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT @FFESE 1 Claim.

`'I'his invention relates to reclining chairs, and has for its object the production of a simple and eiiicient means for permitting the reclining of the back of the chair, or the swinging of the back rearwardly to a reclining position merely by placing the weight of the back of the user upon the back of the Ychair and forcing the same rearwardly against the tension of a spring to move the back of the chair to the desired position.

l5" Another object of this invention is the production of a simple and eicient reclining chair having a hinged back which is normally held in its upright position through the medium of tension springs, the back being so Amounted and conlg'i structed as t0l permit the back to be moved to a reclining position when pressure or weight is brought to bear thereon, suitable means being provided to lock the chair in a set position.

A still further object of this invention is the production of a simple and efficient mechanism for supporting the back of a chair and causing the back of the chair to automatically swing to its upright position as soon as the locking device is released.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear throughout the following specification and claim.

In the drawing:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the chair, the 30 back being shown in its upright position certain parts of the upholstery being broken away;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the chair showing the back in its reclining position;

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3 3 35 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the chair frame-work illustrating the mechanism for controlling the position of the back of a chair;

40 Figure 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 1, certainv parts being broken away;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the latching mechanism for holding the back in its reclining 45 position.

By referring to the drawing, it will be seen that I Il designates the body of the chair which may be of the overstuied design, or may be of any suitable or desired type without departing from the 50 spirit of the invention. The body Il of the chair comprises a frame I I upon which is hingedly secured a back I 2 through the medium of a hinge I3, clearly shown in Figure 1. The back I2 may be upholstered in any suitable or desired manner. 55 'Ihe frame II is provided with an arm rail I4 upon either side of the body IQ, as is usual with such types of chairs, and the frame I I is also provided upon either side of the frame with arm supporting and abutment blocks I 5 near the rear end of the body Il), these blocks I 5 being inclined or beveled as at I6, to constitute a stop or abutment for the back I2 when the back I2 is raised to its upright and slightly inclined position such as is shown in Figure 1. These blocks I5 are provided with notches IS to constitute pockets for the coil springs Il.

The back I2 carries eyelets I 8 which engage the rear ends of the coil springs I I and the forward ends of the coil springs Il are secured to anchoring eyes I9 fastened to the underface of the arm rails I4. The springs Il extend longitudinally of the arm rails I4 and are suspended below the arm rails, the rear ends of the springs I9 extending through the pockets I6 previously mentioned, as shown in detail in Figure 4. These springs II are adapted to normally retain the back I2 in its upright or partially inclined position, such as is shown in the drawing, and to normally hold the back I2 in contact through the tension of the springs I 'I against the inclined faces I5 of the blocks I5.

Guiding strips 2U are secured to the back I2 through the medium of the angularly bent portions 2| of the strips 2D and these vguiding strips 20 extend under and contact with the under face of the arm rails I4. The strips 20 are provided with elongated slots 22 through which slots 22 extend the guiding pins 23 which pins 23 are anchored in the arm rails I4 and are provided with enlarged heads to retain the guiding strips 20 in sliding contact with the under face of the arm rails I4. These guiding strips 20 are preferarbly formed of spring metal to permit the strips to slightly flex at their outer ends adjacent the angularly extending portions 2i, as indicated by the numeral 24 in Figure 2.

In order that the back I2 may be held in its reclined position, I provide a locking or latching device which consists of an elongated latching bar 25, the bar 25 being pivotally connected, as at 26, to the back I2, as shown in detail in Figure 6. This latching bar 25 is provided with a notch portion 2l, which notch portion is adapted to be brought into engagement with the keeper strap 28 carried by the frame I I and through the strap, the latching bar 25 extends. Two of these latching bars 25 may be employed, if desired, one upon either side of the frame II, such as is shown in Figure 3. 'Ihe entire mechanism for controlling the positon of the back may be completely encased through the medium of the upholstery 29,

the upholstery being shown partly broken away in Figure 2 and the outline thereof being shown in dotted lines, as at 3U. When the back .l2 is moved to its reclined position and should it be desired to permit the back to swing to its upright position, the operator may merely place his ringer under the latching bar 25 in the rear of the keeper strap 28 releasing the latching bar or bars from the keeper or keepers 28, the coil springs I1 immediately pulling the back l2 to its upright position. The guiding strips 20 through the meof the slots 22 and pins 23 will limit the swinging movement of the back l2 both to and Yfrom a reclining position.

By considering the drawing, it will be seen that when it is desired to move the back to .a reclining position, it is only necessary for the operator to However, it should be understood that through the medium of the present device, the back l2 may be moved to various selected positions to suit the comfort and convenience of the Vuser of the chair, and that the back I2 will immediately move to its upright position er to its raisedV position when pressure or weight is relieved therefrom unless of course the back I2 has been first moved to its fully reclined position where the latching members 25 will engage the keepers 28.

It should be understood that changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made Without departing from the spirit ci the invention so long as such changesfali within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed*` as new isz- A chair of the class described comprising a K frame, an arm rail at one side of said frame, a back hingedly secured to saidl frame, tension means Vanchored at one end to said arm rail and secured at its opposite end to the back near the Y lower end of the back and adapted to normally hold the back in a raised positie a'spring metal elongated flat guiding strip engaging the under face of said arm rail and having one end xedly secured to said back, said guiding strip normally lying flat throughout its entire length against theY under face of said arm rail when said back is a raised position, said strip being longitudinally slotted, a securing pin passing through said slot and engaging said arm rail, said pin limiting the longitudinal movement of said strip as said back is moved to and from a raised position, said spring metal guiding strip being adapted to flex at aV point near its connection with said back when the back is swung to a reclining position and when the point of connection of said strip with the back is moved to a plane below the normal position or the strip whereby downward pull upon the securing pin will beminimizedpand said fran-ie,

having a clearance formed therein through which said tension means and guiding'strip pass to be secured to said back.

JOHlE KUSS. 

